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The wreckage of Port Authority fire truck is left on a tarmac after the wreckage of an Air Canada Express jet was moved from the runway, Wednesday, March 25, 2026, where they collided Sunday night at LaGuardia Airport, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
By The Canadian Press

Watchdog report confirms truck involved in Air Canada plane crash had no transponder

Apr 23, 2026 | 2:06 PM

A preliminary report into the La Guardia Airport crash that killed two Canadian pilots last month says system failures and communication issues played a part in the accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board report shows a surveillance system did not generate an alert for air traffic controllers because ground vehicles were not equipped with transponders, including the fire truck that struck the Air Canada plane.

Because there were no transponders, surveillance systems could not identify them or determine their positions.

The report also shows radio transmissions were obscured about two minutes before the collision.

Though the turret operator of the truck reported hearing “stop, stop, stop” on the radio, he did not know who the transmission was intended for.

When the command was repeated, he realized he was already entering the plane’s runway and the vehicle’s speed continued to increase leading up to the collision.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 23, 2026.

The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press